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Brad Richards

I guess I'm just not confident enough in Brass right now to be able to fulfill that 2nd line role. We'll see, but his overall body of work so far hasn't shown he is good enough to be a consistent second line center.

I know he is still relatively young, but he isn't exactly a rookie at 25.

He's also been in an organization that has had countless GM and head coaching changes. That screws up a young player's development.

I've always liked him in my limited viewings when he was a Blue Jacket and, not unlike MZA, he's been a difference maker since he joined the team. Going by my own eye test, I think he's already an excellent 2C. It's one of the reasons the team has looked so good since the trade - all of a sudden we have 1Cs on both of our first two lines and a 2C on our third. I think he may even still have upside beyond that. Notice how much more time we've spent in the offensive zone and how many more quality scoring chances we've had? Very hard to match up against.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYRCSKA

He's also been in an organization that has had countless GM and head coaching changes. That screws up a young player's development.

I understand both points you guys are making. I agree we have looked much better since we've gotten Brass and for the reasons you've mentioned. It's only been three games though, three games won't erase five seasons worth of hockey with the blue jackets.

He certainly has the potential, hopefully in a new environment and with some structure he can live up to that role. However, to your point BRF, he looks great right now playing behind two other centers. How would he look as the 2nd center and thus going up against stronger competition?

I want to continue to have Brass around, regardless. Hopefully we can sign him to a better contract than what he has now. He can play wing too. However, if this team has to use Brass as the second line center, I don't think we are a contender.

I understand both points you guys are making. I agree we have looked much better since we've gotten Brass and for the reasons you've mentioned. It's only been three games though, three games won't erase five seasons worth of hockey with the blue jackets.

He certainly has the potential, hopefully in a new environment and with some structure he can live up to that role. However, to your point BRF, he looks great right now playing behind two other centers. How would he look as the 2nd center and thus going up against stronger competition?

I want to continue to have Brass around, regardless. Hopefully we can sign him to a better contract than what he has now. He can play wing too. However, if this team has to use Brass as the second line center, I don't think we are a contender.

We wouldn't be a contender now, but after next year we might. Fortunately we have Richards and Stepper till at least 2014. He has a year to prove he is the next man up. And Miller is a beast. He was the best player in the World Juniors. He's 18. He'll be close to ready after next year. Give him a 20 game stint next season but keep him in Hartford the rest of the time. He'll be ready when his name is called.

We wouldn't be a contender now, but after next year we might. Fortunately we have Richards and Stepper till at least 2014. He has a year to prove he is the next man up. And Miller is a beast. He was the best player in the World Juniors. He's 18. He'll be close to ready after next year. Give him a 20 game stint next season but keep him in Hartford the rest of the time. He'll be ready when his name is called.

Miller was impressive, but he wasn't even the best player on team USA. Gibson, Jones and Gaudreau were all better than Miller.

6pts in the last 5 games (including the 2 shutouts) is he getting his 'mojo' back or is it just a flash-in-the-pan?

Getting it back. He straight up looks faster, more assertive, etc. I honestly think Gabby was bringing him down. Bringing the whole team down. I am so glad that we made that move.

__________________

"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB"Watching Sather build a team is like watching a blind man with no fingers trying to put together an elaborate puzzle." - Shadowtron
My MS Excel crashed so I couldn't watch the game. - ReggieDunlop68

In the summer of 2014...? I dunno, my friend - like I said before, that contract is an albatross under the new rules and there are a LOT of people that need to be re-signed that year. And if you've got Steps and Brassard in place with Lindberg/Miller ready to go at the 3C... I'd say it's not only possible, it's a likelihood.

If Richards retires after the 2017 season he will have 3 years at 1 mil in cash owed each year. Now does that mean the cap hit is a mil a year until the end of the contract or does it take on the original cap hit?

If Richards retires after the 2017 season he will have 3 years at 1 mil in cash owed each year. Now does that mean the cap hit is a mil a year until the end of the contract or does it take on the original cap hit?

to me he's played well as of late, but he would have to lead/win us to a cup for rangers to keep him past 14'.. its not so much his playing wise that will buy him out.. but more of a business decision..

we'll have kreider, hank, callahan, Girardi, MDZ all to sign (think they mean more to the club then richards)plus with Brass if he can make that next step to 2c.. it will help and the guys i mentioned will all need contracts.. plus to make matters better its a good UFA class along with Malkin possibly being out there?

we'll need the cap just for our own players and to think the possibility of gaining younger players that might be available.. I think its a no brainer... 33yr old richards who's signed another 6yrs or a 27/28 yr old we could sign for less yrs and play longer at a higher level..

I understand this I'm asking if we decide not to and we keep him or trade him

then we'll deff have to make a crazy ammount of trades.. to many guys are due for raises and have to be signed.. IMO business decision to buy him out.. not based on play but its a freebee to free up much needed $$$$.. one of 2 things would have to happen for him to stay...

1- guy leads us deep into this years playoffs and next year puts up more the PPG season..
2- We win a cup

If Richards retires after the 2017 season he will have 3 years at 1 mil in cash owed each year. Now does that mean the cap hit is a mil a year until the end of the contract or does it take on the original cap hit?

Blueblood...have a look at this Link...awesome $ stats for every team . Yes...we get a $6,666,667 per year hit until he is done without using our last remaining CBA Compliance Buyout .

Brian Boyle's game, TOI and toothpaste choice is scrutinized yet Richards had a clunker last night and he somehow is not receiving any attention. Gaborik drew a huge amount of attention here for his poor play this season and Richie has been able to avoid a huge amount of criticism which is baffling considering his play, pay and pedigree. He looked like he was coming around before Kaleta nearly broke his neck and a couple of games after the trade but last night was horrendous. He has had far too many games like that this year, too. In OT, he was the 3rd forward pairing used by Torts...Stepan-Nash, Brassard-Cally, Richards-Haggy. Speaks volumes, no?

Carp was even harsher:

Quote:

Brad Richards. Oof. It’s tough to watch as he struggles to skate, to stay on his feet, as he spins from hits and throws the puck away. Ironically, his blind drop pass to nobody led to the momentum swing, because it led to Michael Del Zotto’s penalty, which led to a good kill that got the Garden cheering, and a momentum swing. But Richards, man. At least when we saw Chris Drury decline this quickly, he would win a draw, kill a penalty, block a shot or take a hit to move the puck.

Brian Boyle's game, TOI and toothpaste choice is scrutinized yet Richards had a clunker last night and he somehow is not receiving any attention. Gaborik drew a huge amount of attention here for his poor play this season and Richie has been able to avoid a huge amount of criticism which is baffling considering his play, pay and pedigree. He looked like he was coming around before Kaleta nearly broke his neck and a couple of games after the trade but last night was horrendous. He has had far too many games like that this year, too. In OT, he was the 3rd forward pairing used by Torts...Stepan-Nash, Brassard-Cally, Richards-Haggy. Speaks volumes, no?

Carp was even harsher:

That's because colgate> crest and Brian Boyle should ****ing learn that already.

Richards has been quite below average, and is another reason why the Rangers are struggling as they are this season. I don't think many can argue that.

I was holding on hope of the Rangers giving BR another chance next season before using the compliance this off-season, but now, who knows. Let's see what BR does the rest of the season and come playoff time. We know he's stepped it up in big games before, why not this season too?

I do like the fact that he is shooting more on the power play however, that is a great start.

That's because colgate> crest and Brian Boyle should ****ing learn that already.
Richards has been quite below average, and is another reason why the Rangers are struggling as they are this season. I don't think many can argue that.

I was holding on hope of the Rangers giving BR another chance next season before using the compliance this off-season, but now, who knows. Let's see what BR does the rest of the season and come playoff time. We know he's stepped it up in big games before, why not this season too?

I do like the fact that he is shooting more on the power play however, that is a great start.

Haha, well played. All I am saying is, in the post game threads that I could stomach to venture into, Gabby's indifference, lack of aggression, etc was commented on more than Richards' invisible play from what I can tell. Even if people want to debate that, I don't think it's as debatable that Richards has not gotten nearly the criticism that other stars getting paid a lot of money have in the past. At the Garden or elsewhere. Alot of people I talked to around MSG were quicker to talk about Gaborik than Richards before the trade...

I am reluctant to buy him out this summer. It's alot of money on the Rangers cap next year but I have hard time assessing him in a lockout shortened season. I give most of these guys who are having off years or struggling the benefit of the doubt based on that being at least part of the reason (big or small I don't know). Particularly because he did not play in European league. He definitely has been better since being moved off the point on the PP but he was pretty brutal there.